It is conventionally known that hospital patients, and particularly those who are injured, ill, and/or recovering from surgery, will often heal better and faster when exposed to natural and peaceful environments, such as gardens, or “healing gardens,” and the like. Patient healing is also known to improve when the patients have better and more frequent interaction with family members and treatment providers, such as doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and/or caregivers from outside of a hospital itself, or a hospital environment (such as when a patient may be recovering at home). For patients suffering very serious injuries, and/or those requiring long-term care, however, mobility of the patient can be problem where the patient is limited in his or her ability to go, or be brought, to the healing environments. It is also difficult for such patients to spend significant time, and/or interact, with friends and family outside of a hospital environment.
Furthermore, since a typical hospital or patient care facility necessarily has strict sterilization requirements, actual and/or open garden elements, such as greenery or soil, may not be permitted in or near patients or patient rooms. In some situations, access to a natural environment or healing garden is limited not only by facility restrictions or a patient's physical impairment, but also by inclement weather. The healing environments become essentially ineffective to a significant portion of the very beneficiaries for whom they are intended.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present Application to provide systems and methods that render gardens and/or healing environments, or the healing or tribute properties thereof, available or accessible to patients during all seasons, and at all times of the day, regardless of patient mobility.
Accordingly, another object of the present Application is to provide systems and methods that allow natural, healing environments to be virtually brought to patients having limited physical mobility within and outside of a hospital environment.
Accordingly, another object of the present Application is to provide systems and methods that allow greater interaction between patients and their friends and family where physical mobility of the patient is limited.
Accordingly, another object of the present Application is to provide positive and/or constructive ways for patients to spend their “down time” while healing, such as by learning new skills and/or taking active participation in their healing process.
Accordingly, another object of the present Application is to provide external support systems for inspiration, hope, and guidance to patients through the healing process (e.g., messages from and/or stories about amputees who have gone on to become athletes, etc.), as well as positive messaging and forward focus throughout the healing process to enhance the process thereby.
Accordingly, another object of the present Application is to provide “bedside” patient ability to control a room's brightness and darkness, color of room lighting, temperature, and/or audio speaker volume, etc., while also accommodating a patient's personal preferences, which may vary moment to moment, thereby providing a sense of control and empowerment, additional relief, and additional comfort in what may often be considered to be austere surroundings.